Instruments of Fate
by Gyon Ipan
Summary: As a living entity, I have something to strive for. As a woman, there are things in which I desire. As person, I have people whom I vow to protect. But as a slave, my will is restrained and I might not be able to protect anyone from this cruel and forsaken world. Hell, I might not even be able to save myself from the heinous sins I have committed. But who said I had a choice?
1. Grim Beginnings

"Stop her!" a gruff voice roared from behind me as I ran down an extravagant hallway.

My eyes scanned the situation caused by the uproar. Soldiers scale the narrow corridor in front of me, taken aback by my presence.

"Guards, stop her! She must be captured at once!" the same deep-throated voice alerted again.

My pace quickened and I soon became out of breath. Frantically , I pulled the hood of my worn out cloak down to mask my face. Letting them discover me was one thing, but showing my face to the persistent Imperial guards would be a fatal mistake. Dashing past the paper doors and the statues of the royal family, I started to rewind and recollect my thoughts. Why were they after me again?

"Condemn her! We mustn't let her escape! She stabbed and injured the First Imperial Prince!"

 _Is that what had happened?,_ I thought, looking down at my moving appearance. My hand was covered with blood; my brown cloak was decorated with crimson red dots. Realizing that my entire figure was seemly soaked in conspicuous red fluid, my five senses became sharper. The smell of iron and sweat wrapped around my nose like a snug blanket. The clang of metal brought me back to reality. Within a second, an army had successfully blocked the narrow path In front of me, my only exit.

"How annoying, I can't be caught here," I mumbled, clicking my tongue in irritation. From my waist, I pulled out two rusty daggers. "Tch."

As if they were animals, all guards simultaneously charged towards me, blood lust evident in their eyes. Sighing with frustration, I stepped back, took a stance, and then ran directly into the herd of soldiers. The first guard swung his long sword at me, aiming for my neck. At reflex, I ducked and swiped my foot underneath him. He yelped as he landed with a loud thump onto the floor on his bottom. The surrounding soldiers did not waver the slightest bit, and continued to aim their weapons at my vital areas. To escape them, I launched myself into the air, evading all incoming spears. As soon as I was suspended in the air, I realized my error. In the air, I was vulnerable to the mass amount of swords and daggers that were currently positioned upwards. From my perspective, they were just waiting for me to puncture my own body when I fall, as if I was a frail piece of paper. This dilemma made me appear like a mouse in a maze.

Narrowing my eyes, I swung my trusty daggers at the swords stationed on my landing space. Using force against their weapons, the grips of the soldiers on their swords gradually weakened, causing weapons to be dropped to the ground. Affirming the safety of the situation, I front flipped and landed gracefully in the now-cleared space.

Immediately, soldiers from all sides swung their swords mercilessly at me.

 _Out of the pot and into the fire, huh._ I thought to myself, as the soldiers closed in on me.

I managed to dodge with ease thanks to my superb reflexes. However, there were limits to everything; one soldier was able to pierce my left shoulder. I silently cursed at the throbbing wound and bit by lip hard, tasting the iron that was attacking my taste buds. Painfully, I pulled the sword out of my shoulder, blood splattering onto the same perpetrator. Weakened by the gashing wound, my vision slightly blurred and my movements losing its momentum fast. My figure wobbled from left to right, unable to maintain balance. The pain was overwhelming; my previous slow-paced breathing was replaced with continuous sharp intakes of air. Sweat rolled down my cheek as I took a very brief break.

 _Crap. Not only did I fail to kill the prince, I also carelessly injured. Life is not looking up for me._

Evaluating my critical state, I soon became desperate. As it is, there was no chance of me overpowering the barbarous group. I had to find a way to get out of the palace before my body gives out. No way in hell was I going to be imprisoned, especially by the hands of royals. My future was already evidently bleak; I didn't really have anything to risk. With new-found determination, I stood up and grabbed a soldier's shoulders. Using it as a leverage, I propelled myself upwards and and safely landed at the end of the hallway. Before the soldiers could register what had transpired, I ran to the side as fast as I could, stepping off of a platform. Like a mad man, I charged through the garden full of lush bushes and beautiful flowers. Luckily for me, there were various items near the outer walls for me to climb. I vaulted a crate and jumped, grabbing the edges of the towering wall. I willed my aching shoulder to draw out its last strength. Miraculously, I was able to drag myself over the wall and slide down onto the other side. I was safe... for the time being.

With my right hand, I clutched my left shoulder in order to stop blood from rapidly pouring out of the wound. The sting of the injury made me grunt. The pain was still pounding against my skin, though it was not as bad initially. My head was throbbing and I felt my legs weakening as minutes go by. This wasn't the first time I felt like I was dying. This sensation no longer surprised me anymore. In fact, my current condition seemed like de ja vu rather than reality. It was like a memory being repeated again and again.

I stabilized my movements and took one more look behind me at the palace of one the most prominent country in this desolate world. The golden dragon figures that appeared to be guarding the barrier of the palace seemed to be staring intently at me, as if jeering at my failure. The sting of my shoulder caused me to cringe. Wearily, I turned around and walked away from the Kou establishment. The background was auditory torture: screams and commands of rage were ferociously being enforced. Along the lines, I heard a man bark,"Kill her!" I sighed at their malicious intent and continued to walk away from the Imperial palace.

Eyeing my wound one last time, I scoffed,"This injury is the least of my worries."

Soon, the silhouette of the palace could be seen in the distance.

I chuckled dryly,"Fate is such a cruel thing."


	2. Night of Change

**Author's Note: I am new at this whole fan fiction thing so I'm not sure how to have a line separate two selections. Therefore, the row of capital U's you will see in this chapter is going to be that divider. Just saying so that readers won't be confused. Also my OC has the ability to hear Rukh. Though not clearly stated, the implications may sound weird. Forgive me. I appreciate any reviews, criticism or not, so don't be afraid to comment.**

 _Dark. Desolate. Empty._

That was currently her mentality as she trudged further and further away from away from the Imperial Palace. Who could blame her? This was the first time in a long while since she had failed her mission. It was almost to the point of being shameful.

How could she fail to assassinate the First Imperial Prince? Of her years of experience, it should have been simple to carry out the kill, not to mention sneak back out undetected. This was bad, even for her.

"I've really done it this time...huh," she murmured silently. The woman had to get back as fast as possible; after all, that man did not have the slightest bit of patience. Who knows what he was going to do to her when she gets back if she dawdles any longer.

The road ahead was barren and veiled under the protection of shadows. For others who have lived life to their fullest, they would much rather avoid such ominous areas, in fear of death and robbery. They were afraid of feeling pain; afraid of their unexpected demise. Such cowards. Though alleys during that time period does serve to be the spawn grounds of all sorts of unimaginable crimes not worth mentioning, the women found it to be quite the sanctuary. Her own personal sanctuary: away from the screams, hustling merchants, crying children, and above all else, anybody from the cursed royalty. Therefore, each step she took into the darkness before her relieved her growing apprehension, like a water flowing out continuously of a pitcher.

However as she walked further and further into the dark alley, the sound of millions of little wings beating reached her ears, completely taking over her hearing. They sounded negative and threatening.

 _"Poor souls, they must have fallen into depravity before they had died,"_ she thought, listening to the intense cry of rage emitted along with the furious flapping of wings.

They must have spent their every waking moments, cursing their fate. Unfortunate for those people who had wasted away their life for such an absurd reason. No one can defy fate. Those people should known known this. It wasn't like wealthy nobles of this generation had such things like compassion or generosity to save the depraved souls from starvation and poverty. All the high-class nobles she had seen from her many visits to their rich households were greedy and arrogant bastards. Not one of them gave a damn about the deathly people of the streets. Hell, even if they had the power to change the lifestyles of many, damn nobles chose to turn a blind eye from the problems of this empire. Even she could tell the disappointment of the Kou Empire's people; and she had only been in this place for a short while. So all the previous assassination assignments for high-classed individuals never ceased to entertain her; all her victims beg for mercy, but their cries were never answered, just like all the cries of impoverish citizens.

As the women continued forward in the path surrounded by two towering buildings, something made her stop dead in her tracks. The blood circulating in her body froze. A cat. A black cat briskly walked in front of her. The shadows had engulfed the feline so it was difficult to see the creature before. The sly feline sat itself right in the middle of the road, staring at her with blank stoic eyes. Now she wasn't one to believe in superstitions, especially with the whole fate factor controlling her life thing. However, something in those beady green eyes that mirrored her eyes seemed to be trying to tell her something, warning her about the events about to transpire.

Suddenly, all of her apprehension returned with full force, prompting her to shift her pacing. Fear was evading her thoughts and it broke through her mask. Every muscle and nerve in her visibly shook. Sweat gathered in her forehead in copious amounts. Her pupils dilated and her forehead creased like a crumbled piece of paper. She ran like there was no tomorrow towards the man's location.

 _"Please, please! Let my gut feeling be wrong"_ she desperately thought, as she charged towards the end of the alley, descending into the darkness.

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A prince was someone with power and necessary skills to rise up and take the throne. Naturally, everyone would expect him to be gifted with limitless knowledge, wisdom, and be adept in some sort of self-defence.

The First Imperial Prince of Kou excelled at all three general necessities. As a prince, Kouen was praised for his intellects and superb leadership skills. He was able to conquer countless countries for the empire and has made Kou into a more powerful country. He has united bordering villages together. And of course, Kouen's swordsmanship is no less than his amazing achievements. If someone gave him a sword and threw in half-dozen men in front of him all of which are skilled in combat, Kouen was capable eliminating all of those people in record time, not to mention escape without a single wound. For these reasons, he was highly respected by the citizen's of Kou.

Not only was he admired outside the palace gates, Kouen was also treasured amongst the other Imperial Princes and Princesses, and his household members. Koumei would often praise his brother's decisiveness and firm motives. Kouha would always say how fitting he was to become the next emperor of Kou- totally disregarding the possibility of another candidate. Kougyoku never really doubted Kouen's chances of someday taking the throne, her thought process being somewhat similar to Kouha's. Hakuei shared the same belief of world unification and the idea of one absolute king; that king being Kouen of course. His remaining six sisters would often fawn over Kouen, whether it was for his looks or his rule with an iron fist. Kouen really paid no mind to them because unlike Kougyoku and Hakuei who had djinns, the other Imperial Princesses only served as bargaining chips used for political marriages. Sad to say, the only person not satisfied with Kouen would be Hakuryuu. Harkuryuu was the child of the previous emperor, Hakutoku, and had only held onto his title as the Fourth Imperial Prince due to remarriage. He was not pleased with the unanimous decision of Kouen being the next emperor of Kou, but he never voiced this out. However, Kouen just could tell from the look of his eyes.

Yes, he was indeed a well-respected person and was one with a lot of pride. So when an anonymous women with a cloak paid him a visit that night, to say Kouen was surprised was an understatement. Sure, assassination attempts have been issued in the past; but, none of the assassins were remotely close to fulfilling their mission. They were either cut off at the entrance of the palace and were overpowered by the sheer amount of guards stationed there or killed mercilessly by the First Imperial Prince. Indeed assassinations itself no longer mattered to Kouen anymore. He was strong, a man with three djinns: Astaroth, Phenex, and Agares.

However, not only did this women somehow manage to sneak past Kou's military forces, she had also injured him. Kouen placed his right hand on the area where her blade had wounded. Her dagger had cut his flesh, from his left shoulder to his torso. Unlucky for him, at the time, he was about to retire for bed and thus was not wearing his armor but his sleeping attire: a white loose robe that was only one-layered.

Kouen glanced at the bloodied clothing with his usual stoic face, trying to recollect most of his thoughts.

"My brother and king," Koumei began, eyeing his brother with worry," we must look into this. No matter what the circumstances, you of all people should have easily put down that assassin."

Koumei's words stirred Kouen from his deep thoughts. Kouen looked up from his usual place on the chair by his desk, his left arm on the chair's armrest supporting Kouen's weight. He glanced at his brother and adviser-who was standing by the doorway- with a thoughtful expression. With his right hand, he stroked his deep red goatee and gave a gruff grunt.

"...I was caught of guard," Kouen muttered, looking away from Koumei.

Koumei gave Kouen an incredulous look. "Kouen," he dryly responded, in a low voice. "A man with unrivaled swordsmanship and three djinns cannot simply say he was caught of guard by an arbitrary assassin with no clear advantage."

A few moments past by and not a single word was shared between the two brothers.

Sighing with exasperation, Koumei ruffled his red ponytail and fixed his normally disheveled robes, letting a yawn escape his lips in the process.

"Anyway, as I was saying, we should find this women and question her. If she was able to lay her hands on you, she must have been skilled to some degree," Koumei decided, waving his fan to exaggerate his point.

"Inhumane reflexes..." Kouen finally answered turning around to look at Koumei straight in his red eyes.

"Huh?" Koumei questioned, his eyes widened and he stared at the answer his brother gave him.

"She was able to dodge all of my attacks, even when I aimed my sword at her back. That women just seemed to waltz right out of attacking range at the last minute. It was as if she had eyes at the back of her head and had full control of each of her body parts." Kouen informed Koumei as he folded his tanned hands together in front of him.

"Do you remember anything about that assassin. For example, appearance, age, or height?" Koumei inquired whilst yawning for the second time.

" She had green eyes but as for appearance, I could not see what she looked like because her face was covered by that raggedy brown cloak." Kouen replied, rising from his well-crafted chair and proceeding over to his elegant closet.

"I see." Koumei sighed, wavering slightly. Oh how he wished to return to his quarters. But his king is always first before tending to his needs.

From his closet, Kouen pulled out his armor and his first-class cape. He stripped his unblemished robe, revealing a muscular body that was molded from many war experiences. Kouen suited up in his usual armor and grabbed his long cape that reached to the floor. The sword that was slanted against his bed was quickly removed and was strapped to his torso.

"Call Kin Gaku, Shou En, Kokuton Shuu, and Seishuu Ri." Kouen commanded at the servant that was standing by the door, waiting to attend after the prince. Swiftly the black-haired servent in green responded with a respectable bow, and then ran off. Kouen briskly walked out of the room towards the main gate.

"Brother, may I ask what you are doing?" Koumei questioned, following Kouen not so far behind.

The sound of footsteps echoed around the palace halls. Kouen simply smirked, his eyes showing obvious interest.

" I have to personally capture a cat that has ran away."

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Making the last turn around a corner, she soon saw a familiar wagon. From the outside, the wagon looked like an average chariot, fully equipped with stable wheels and a sturdy shell. It had appeared to be pristine, not a speck of dirty was on the exterior; it looked almost surreal. But upon closer inspection, the obstructing vehicle seemed like the worst thing in the world. The smell of rotting flesh wrapped around the chariot like a rattlesnake, having both intensity and the venom. As if the atmosphere were a disease, the surrounding area complimented the wagon. Patches of dead grass and garbage covered the ground, not a single square inch was spared. The women, unfazed by the unsterilized location, proceeded towards the wagon, heart beating at an abnormal rate. Before her, a man stood waiting.

He was a middle-aged man, dressed in an inconspicuous but fancy silk attire: the robe was split into a v at the neck region, fully displaying his horrid forest of mangled hair; sleeves were long, albeit barely reaching his wrist; the hem of the cloth had luckily completely covered his muscular legs, saving her the trouble of having to cringe just by looking at the bundles and bundles of hair that lay attached to his calves; and his outfit was tied together by a grey sash. Around his neck and arms hung bracelets and necklaces of all sorts of variations: sapphire, opals, and diamonds. As if to add on to his already-appalling appearance. the man had the most unruly beard encasing his jaws, crooked nose, and several brown warts biting into his forehead. Truly one deserving to be called a pig rather than a human.

"You have returned... Maika," the man sneered, snorting with disgust," and by the looks of it, I see that you have failed your given assignment." He took out a cigar from his pocket and then lit it with a match.

The women named Maika just blankly stared at him, shrugging off his comment. She really needed to get inside the wagon now, and Maika really did not want to listen to this man. Nothing good ever comes out of those ash-smitten lips.

" Ha! Pathetic! Can't even take down a prince anymore? You were faring fine against your other victims! Look at you, all bloodied and wounded!" he bellowed, jeering at the women in rags.

Yep, very unbearable indeed.

Suddenly, the man grabbed Maika by her chin and glared into her murky green eyes with his black wells, his entire demeanor changing. His grip tightened ever so slightly, causing Maika to cringe.

" Listen here, you foul women. You have no right to dismiss my existence just because you want to. That's my job. It is my job as your master and your role as my slave," the raging man snarled, bruising Maika's jaw. " I will not tolerate such behavior. You got that!"

He shouted the last part into Maika's ears and with a final grunt, loosened his grip. Maika gently caressed her throbbing chin, in an attempt to soothe the aching.

 _"Arrogant bastard. He isn't even my real master yet he thinks he can act as one."_ Maika thought to herself as she stood there, on a pile rotting grass. Though he wasn't that far from the truth, it wasn't hard for the man to take the title of a master. He was at a higher stand point in society. Like he had said, Maika was just a slave, being nothing more and nothing less. She was just an existence that lived solely for the purposes of others; unfortunately, those people all being either selfish beings or sadistic entities. Sometimes, she would wonder: What had she done to make Fate hate her so much? For God's sake, Maika is already 18! And like other eighteen-year-olds, she deserved freedom.

Though for Maika, it had been apparent that Fate had forsakened her. In fact, for a very long time now, ever since she was four year old. Unconsciously, Maika involuntarily shivered. Her dark past was not something she liked to reminisce about.

Shaking her head from side to side, a cruel laughter brought Maika back to reality. Slowly, she brought her viridescent eyes back to the male who was now laughing even louder than before. Something about his display of happiness seemed dubious.

The man gave Maika a sadistic smirk, his face contorting to that of a child.

" Oh, by the way, I hope you're not forgetting anything... or _anyone."_ He remarked, tone full of disturbing glee. He was hinting at something.

At realization of his hidden meaning, Maika's pupils dilated, her eyebrows creased with growing anxiety. The wound that had grew numb awhile back began to throb again, painfully. With all her remaining stamina, Maika sprinted towards the wagon, not caring when she shoved the man out of the way.

 _Crack!_

The sound of a whip coming in contact with flesh and the blood-curdling scream that followed it made Maika run faster. Sweat clung to her forehead in mass amounts.

Never had she been so terrified in her life. Her heart felt like it was being clenched by a fist, a very strong fist. Sure, in the past, Maika had been scared to her wits end. All those blood and bodies gave her nightmares for months. Though she was over those nightmares, she never ceased to be aware of the power her master had over her will. Her will to live. Because of that, Maika had continued to commit many atrocities against humanity. She should have been prepared for any gory images of corpses or mutilated bodies. But nothing could have prepared Maika for the scene before her. Not even her prior experiences seemed to compare with what she saw.

In that dark and small room, two figures could be seen: one was a little girl with pink hair cowering in the corner and the other was a man holding a whip with spikes at the end, looking absolutely furious. The man, known to Maika as Master Gighst, was wearing similar attire as the man before and was much like him too: sadistic, and was quick to lose his temper. However, to Maika, Master Gighst was a beast; knowing no sympathy or kindness. Unlike her purpose in life, Master Gighst's existence was to be superior. He ruled over those with weak hearts with an iron fist, sparing no second thought for their well-being.

Master Gighst, whilst appearing utterly _pissed_ , drew sharp intakes of breathe-as if hyperventilating-, and raised his right arm , preparing to whip the girl again. Without hesitation, he brought the black whip down aiming for the pink head's curled up knees.

Maika, wasting no second, dashed towards the girl and used her own body to take the pain. The whip lashed mercilessly at the woman's chest, successfully opening a new gashing wound from the base of her collarbone to the top of her left breast. Maika doubled back a little bit, biting back a scream. Using both hands, she applied pressure to her new wound, in an attempt to stop the blood flow. Red liquid dripped to the ground and was smeared by Maika's feet. The girl that was behind Maika slowly unfurled from her fetal position, and tried to stand up. When she stood, her entire figure trembled and her knees knocked furiously against each other. Her pink eyes glistened with tears and her hands gripped the hem of her rag skirt until the knuckles turned white.

Master Gighst showed a suprised expression before returning back to his original face, even angrier than before.

"You! You rotten trash! How dare you not tell me about her!" Master Gighst shrilled, pointing his fat finger at the pink haired girl. " She's fucking useless!"

Maika kept silent, looking solemnly at the ground.

"How dare you not tell me about the girl!" he repeated, face turning flushed pink from being deprived of air. "Do you know how much I've paid for this Fanalis _defect_!?"

Maika could not retaliate. She was in no position to. All she could do was let her master let out all his steam, punish her, and forget the whole thing. However, as always, such things like luck never aided her in the most crucial moments.

" What's that wound you got there on your shoulder! Don't tell me you failed to assassinate the First Imperial Prince," Master Gighst sneered, shifting his attention to Maika. His face was now as red as a ruby. His whip lie in his grasp, full of menace.

"..." Maika said nothing, but was thankful that Gighst's anger was directed towards her instead of the quivering Fanalis still fragile from her earlier predicament.

Normally, Maika's silence would have infuriated Gighst. That's why when he suddenly ceased his childish behavior, Maika knew something was up.

Master Gighst was currently giving Maika a sweet and sultry smile, one that resembled a psycho. His sudden change in mood caused the green-eyed girl to shiver and unconsciously take hold of the Fanalis's petite hands. The pink-eyed girl glanced at Maika, oblivious to the reason to her gesture. But she gladly return the favor, taking the bigger and slightly calloused hand to her little ones. This act of love caught Master Gighst's eye, and caused him to smile even wider.

"Ohh... I see now..." Master Gighst chuckled darkly, snapping his thick figures in fake revaluation."That's why you guarded her weakness."

He paced around in a circle and then stopped.

"Hmm... how should we do this? Maika-chan deserves punishment for failing her assignment and for lying to me~" Master Gighst pondered out loud, tapping his chin with his index finger. He slammed his fist into his cupped left hand. " I know~"

Maika's hand gripped firmly onto the young Fanalis's hand, squeezing it until the little girl's hand turned as white as snow.

To Maika's understanding, Master Gighst was a very ambitious person. He always got what he wanted, no matter what it was. For example, one time, a foolish man once refused to give up his valued slaves to Gighst, saying that the slaves were a tremendous profit and how priceless they were. After much argument and discourse, the opposing man finally gave in after suffering a traumatic incident: his family was murdered mercilessly. Master Gighst had many methods to get what he wanted and unfortunately, immoral activities were ensued.

" Tonight, you two are to stay in the same cell," Master Gighst spoke out, grinning in success.

Maika was surprised, her eyes and facial gestures showed obvious astonishment.

"W-what?" she finally voiced out, now bring the pink-haired Fanalis into her embrace. " _Why was he doing this? There must be a catch."_ Maika thought to herself. And sure enough, there was.

Master Gighst smirked, satisfied with Maika's slightly shakened form. "What. Seeing how close you two are, I just wanted to spend some time together," he said, walking away from the females, stepping towards the rotting door frame.

"... before I sell out that Fanalis defect for loads of gold," Master Gighst glowered, laughing like a maniac while clutching his stomach.

Then the door slammed.

Maika sat there, feeling shakened up. Then she snarled clenching her fist,"What!"

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In the darkly illuminated cell, no cries could be heard. Such places was not even fit for a human: the putrid scent of decaying corpse, rotting wood, and the small portions of food each slave gets. Horrible. It's practically hell for anyone, especially if one has to live in such an unstable environment. Who would want to live here? It could have been because she was nuts or delusional, but Maika felt condolence in the hellish environment.

Maika was seated in a pile of hay with a bundle of pink hair in her arms. The Fanalis was cuddled in Maika's warm embrace, eyes peering up at Maika, observing her expression. It was probably both aggravation and regret. The pink-eyed girl weakly caressed Maika's cheek, in an attempt to comfort her. The Fanalis's earlier fresh wound was treated with the last of Maika's emergency provisions. She was wounded from from her shoulder to her waist.

Sensing the young girl's worry, Maika softly ran her slender fingers through the thick pink locks, smoothed the hair on her forehead back, and then planted a gentle kiss onto the girl's forehead.

" Don't worry, Masah-chan. I promise that everything is going to be fine." Maika whispered with motherly affection, a smile gracing her lips.

Masah, the Fanalis, seemed to be brightened by this, thrilled at Maika's slightly risen spirits. She hugged and latched onto Maika tightly, as if Maika was going to leave her behind. Masah's glittering rubies emitted pure happiness.

As fast as her smile had formed on her lips, a crestfallen frown had replaced it. Maika may have appeared to be stoic and indifferent on the outside; but inside, she felt as if her world had fallen apart. No words could have described her distress. The sound of negativity and swift beats of wings evaded Maika's ears, similar to what she had experienced back in the alley. The same words crossed her mind like an incantation:

 _How could I have been so foolish?_

 _Why was I so naive to think that Masah was better off with that bastard?_

 _Fuck, how can I save Masah from her imminent fate?_

Suddenly, soft hands squeezed Maika's forearm, breaking her away from her trance. Masah was smiling. A smile that was so sweet and soothing that all of Maika's stress was relieved. The young Fanalis wiggled a little, breaking away from Maika's embrace. She then stood up. Her eyes were pools of fire as she spoke her next lines:

"Maika-nee-chan, please don't keep all your burdens to yourself. I know I'm only eight-years old and have not learned about this world yet. But I know this, we are human, **you are human**. Humans can only bare so much." Masah gently informed, smiling brightly at Maika.

Tears pooled into Maika's eyes, threatening to spill out. Of all her years of pain and torture, she was never compelled to cry and never showed any signs of weakness. Maika had always locked her feelings deep within her heart, the keys broken into molecular pieces. But somehow, Masah's voice and words unlocked her vessel of sentiments.

"MASAH-CHAN!" Maika cried out loud, standing up a bit to wrap her arms around Masah's fragile torso. Masah, moved by Maika's tears, also began to sob loudly, weeping into Maika's chest, soaking her cloak.

"I really don't want to be sold again! Please don't leave me!" Masah bawled, fisting Maika's cloak. She was trembling in both fear and anxiety, as the memories flooded her thoughts.

The harmonious beating of delicate wings engulfed the pair, as if acting as a blanket shielding them from the fickle hands of fate.

"I'm not going to leave you," Maika whispered into her pale ears. " Never again"

"Promise?"

"It's a promise."


	3. The Start of the New Beginning

"Buy the best and most fresh fruits here!"

"Oh, young miss, these beautiful accessories are truly fit for a stunning women such as yourself."

It was just an average day in the Kou Empire. Though it was early at the the break of dawn, the streets were bustling with people of all kinds: sanguine merchants all preparing for business; women in green kimonos strolled through the crowded road, grace highlighting each step; and of course, children- the rowdies of them all- scampered around on the dirt ground, darting past the fruit stands and all of the troublesome obstructions. Each stall vary in assortment of produce, some harboring simple and common fruits like apples to exotic suckle honeydew that were indigenous to other parts of the world. Other merchandise sold included jewelries and accessories, which were all adorned with priceless gemstones: baby blue sapphires, viridian emeralds, or vibrant rubies. People can be heard attempting to haggling the price down, going as far as to barter instead of paying. They would be then curtly denied, for Kou has recently developed a paper currency called _Huang._ Other than that, the streets of Kou seemed to be an utopia, unscathed by any crimes or poverty.

However, behind the garish scene, some areas just weren't so rich and free-willed as the main road. Many other individuals fight impulsively in order to live. Destitute children would often slither their way by these stalls, in hopes of bringing home the next meal.

Indeed, today was just an ordinary day. It _was_ an ordinary day until a certain prince with a red goatee whisked through the streets of Kou. His elegant robes were not easy too miss: blinding white mixed with blood-red hue. Kouen's face wore his usual stoic expression, lips in a straight line and eyebrows slightly creased. What stood out more was not the presence of the first Imperial Prince but all four of his household members and several armed soldier. Kin Gaku's black teeth shone as he smirked, his pig stout ever so high-catching. Shou En was intimidating, blue scales protruding from his body like a pine cone. To add to his frightening household assimilation, his sharpened red eyes seemed to be attempting to hunt his prey. By his right stood Seishuu Ri, the average man with the reptile-like appearance. The hissing snakes affixed to his roots moved ever so slightly as he made powerful strides. The last member of Kouen's household was Kokuton Shuu; the lion man that stood behind Kin Gaku. His piercing feline eyes were golden orbs and his unruly hair swayed as if dancing to the rhythm of the wind. In the front leading the four household members was their master, Ren Kouen.

As if by reflex, all of the onlookers descended, their knees folded inwards and their heads kissing the earth. Citizens of all ages knew it was law to pay their highest respects to the Imperial Family, especially to Ren Kouen. Afterall, he was the First Prince and was set for the throne. However, the people of Kou not only bowed because of the law, but they also bowed deeply because of everything Kouen did for the empire. Kouen had expanded territory on all sides of the Kou empire and was looked up to for the fact that he was a man with three djinns. Despite the uniform bow of the onlookers, they were confused as to why their favorite prince had decided to visit the streets. He could not have been here to idle around for that was not at all the stoic and serious prince they know him as.

Sure enough, that was not Ren Kouen objective. He was here to located a certain assassin from the night before with the intention of capturing her. That women could be extremely useful for Kou's military power. Her stealth and evasion skills were something else, even if he had not been ready at the time of her appearance. As Kouen was contemplating about benefits of this dubious women, his household members were restless.

"Why do you think we are out here?" Seishuu Ri pondered out loud, his two arms tucked behind his snake head. His legs marched gleefully along with his fellow household members.

Kin Gaku responded by punching his head in a joking manner,"You shouldn't question the young prince's actions. Just know that whatever he may do, we-as his loyal household members-shall follow him through." Kin Gaku bellowed, snout oblique towards the sky and his black eyes were marbles.

"I have heard from the servants that Kouen is apparently looking for the assassin who attacked him last night. Might I add she had also managed wound His Highness," Kokuton Shuu informed.

"Still, I don't really understand why His Highness would think to personally search for this woman. If he had to, His Highness could have called vigilant scouts and a few Kou soldiers to capture her," Seishuu Ri inquired while looking at Kokuton Shuu, as if looking for answers.

They were walking past the dense crowd full of loyal citizens, and they were approaching the void of the streets: the alleys. If its atmosphere did not tell a person off, the stench and orientation sure did. Like how one would imagine what an alley would look like, the narrow road was plagued with garbage of all kind; from shredded garments to feces, it seemed as if Kou's streets were the world's convenient trash storage. A foul stench wafted through the air, mixing together in perfect, discordant harmony. The area was definitely not sterile or fragrant enough for any inhabitants; however, those who lack the standard amount of money had no option but to inhabit there.

One would think that a pampered prince living a life of luxury would cringe at the scene unfolding before him. However, Kouen was different. Kouen was unfazed by everything. It was as if he knew and understood the situation he was in. His sharp features remained stoic, flunctuating not the slightest.

His household members-except Shou En- , on the other hand, were unnerved. Having all come from nobility, the men were pioneers to the horrid condition of the back streets.

Seishuu Ri pinched his nose and remarked," For what purpose will it serve to travel to the roots of Kou's poverty?"

Following the snake head, Kin Gaku, rather than use his enormous hands to block out the stench, simply took rhythmic breaths through his mouth. " I *huff* heard that *huff* a local here has information *huff* on the women, " he dragged out, face slighting flushed from his minor aerobic activity.

Kouen stopped in front of a makeshift shack made of flimsy branches and planks. Curious, the household members trudged onward and stood beside their master, waiting for commands. The soldiers joined the assimilated warriors and stood apart from the group. All of their faces were parallel, attempting to hide the fact that the smell of feces and rotting junk did not get to them. Their eyebrows lay oblique and slightly twitching.

Not bothering to engage in any form of cordiality, Kouen raised his right foot and brought it down against what was supposed to be front door of the shack. The obstruction gave out almost instantaneously, ricocheting from the entrance and stumbling all the way to the back of the "house", signaling its collision with a loud "Bam". From what Kouen could see, this shack was home to two frail looking couple. One of them was a middle-aged man in his 40s with the most unruly ink hair. Loose strand of hair dance wildly at the base of his roots and were hastily tucked behind his ears, as if attempting to tame his nest. The man had brown eyes and a shaggy beard that clung all the way from his left cheek to his right cheek. His skin was speckled with dark patches of dirt and grime; his natural skin color could barely be noticed with all the dark contrasting colors. The man was dressed simply in a green kimono with holes in the sleeves and hem.

The other figure that was seated in the center was also a middle-aged women in her 40s with unusual brown hair that reached her waist. She was the better looking of the two but still far from the average Kou women. Her brown hair was tangled and filled with endless strands of split ends. She resembled the prisnors of war,her soot-covered flesh and marred out appearance. The woman's eyes were the windows to her soul, having dark bags and forbidding, forlorn looks. She had a defined chin and petite nose to match. Similar to the man, she was dressed in a ragged, green kimono. Several threads could be seen flailing about from their roots.

When Kouen rambunctiously busted the door away, the male of the household stood up immediately, shooting Kouen a feral and pissed-off glare before realizing that the man he had been glaring at was the crowned prince. Anger soon melted into uncertain fear and uncontrollable apprehension as he doubled back a few steps, kneeling until his head kissed the floor. His entire form was trembling and unstable; the color in his face completely drained, replacing its normal hue with a pallid spectrum. The women, also somewhat surprised glanced meekly at Kouen before following the man in his position, kneeling.

The room which housed the pair was a complete mess. Trash was scattered sporadically on the ground as if it had not been cleaned for centuries. To the right of their abode was what seemed to be the kitchen; an open-air cooking set was laid out on the dirty floor, which included a rusty pot and some chipped, delicate plates. To the left was what appeared to be where the pair slept. Two matted bamboo sheets were spread out and were a good distance apart from each other. Another thin sheet on dusted fabric accompanied the two mats and was left rumpled up in the corner. To complete the standard home, a crate was placed in the middle to serve as the table. Currently, it was toppled on to its side.

"You," Kouen voiced, unsheathing his elegant blade from its casing and pointing it towards the man. "Answer my questions." Looking as expressionless as ever, Kouen stood in front of the frightened pair, hoovering over them as a lion would do to its prey.

An audible gulp can be heard from the man's hollow throat. The women lay stationary in her position, waiting for this nightmare to end.

"I want you to tell me everything you know about any sort of assassination groups around here. Now." the crowned prince forcefully commanded, crimson orbs receding down a few tones and eyes narrowing the slightest bit.

"O-o-of course Yo-Your Imperial High-Highness!" the man stuttered out, fumbling like a clumsy child. Tension eased from his shoulders a little and the whites of his eyes returned to its normal proportions.

He took a deep breath and began. " From the rumors that have been circulating around the alley, I have heard many things; how the assassin group was composed of starving and malnourished children that were just fighting to live or how the assassins were just a band of savaged bandits wanting riches and gold by stealing from high-ranking nobles and citizens. There were more woven tales that I have heard, but the most intriguing and believable story I heard was about a traveling assassin caravan. A good amount of people are aboard this wagon, and they kill targets for a certain sum. Their leader is a wealthy and chubby man."

Kouen seemed bored with all the rumors the peasant has been spouting and was about to take his leave until he heard the man's last line.

"Apparently, there is a women who was also a part of this group and is said have slaughtered countless nobles and other targets under the orders of the ring leader. Rumor has it that she is the most requested assassin by customers because she yields both skill and agility."

Suddenly, Kouen slammed his fist against the wall, startling both the man and the women. Seishuu Ri, Kokuton Shuu, Kin Gaku, and Shou En glanced at their master, showing conspicuous confusion. It was not like Kouen to act impulsively but something in him made him act on the whim. Kouen's heartbeat quickened and a dignified smirk plastered his face. What he was feeling was not anger but rather a more eccentric emotion. It was sheer excitement. The four household members sighed, knowing the endless pursuit that will ensue.

"Tell me more about this assassin caravan." Kouen bellowed intensely, eyes suffocating the poor restless man before him. ", before I decide to end your life." He lowered his sword to the height of the peasant's neck.

The man let out a shrill but silent shriek before complying. " At once Cr-Crowned Prince. Umm. The caravan had already traveled to many places such as Partevia, Reim, Heliohapt, and Musta'sim Kingdom; they offered their services in the shadows of the empires and were said to be found in the black market areas. Anyone was capable of hiring the group if they had money. Payment varied with the social standings of the targets: the more high-class the noble was, the more gold was needed; the more lower-class the target was, the less money. They are not the average assassains. The rumors depict them as ruthless killers, comparable with the beasts of the Colosseum back in Reim. The Omerfia Empire was one of the places the caravan stopped at and was said to have the best strategists of war. A beautiful green land with sufficient water supply and fertile soil. You don't hear much about it because it has fallen some time ago. Devastating time it was. The Omerfia Empire's emperor was assassinated by the venturing assassin group just days before a war. All the princes that succeeded the throne failed miserably to defend their bountiful kingdom. They were not able to keep order in the kingdom but tried regardless till their last breathe. But that degree of casualty was a rare case. And I guess their current stop is in the Kou Empire."

The sword resting by the man's neck inched toward his vein. He yelped when cold metal came into contact with his heated flesh. Kouen's eyebrows creased and his smirk turned into a deep scowl.

"So, where are they now," Kouen commanded with an authoritative undertone. "If you know that much about this assassin troupe, then you must know where they are located right now."

The man sputtered, waving his soiled hands frantically in the air," O-of course. I'll sh-show yo-you th-there ri-right now, my Prince!"

Nodding with satisfaction, Kouen withdrew his sword and returned it back to its sheath. Fumbling to get up, the man stood up like a newborn baby; the women stood beside him and supported his body with her own, throwing his arm over her shoulder and placing her left arm around the man's waist. When the male was stable enough, the women let go with uncertainty before stepping back to let him lead their esteemed guests out. Not wanting to anger the royals anymore by making them wait, the man trotted out the entrance. Kouen and his four household members followed in his suit. The soldiers joined their prince. The female peered out the doorway, as if it was the last time she was going to see him. She tossed one more glance at the man before heading back inside her shack.

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"It could not get any worse than this," Maika contemplated with overwhelming anxiety as she sat in the degrading confines of a cell. Her purple hair lost its usual cleanliness and the roots were painted with gray. The two short tails protruded from her head in a disheveled fashion, as if trying to escape the mess that is her hair.

As if to match, Maika's slave attire- a dirt-stained cloth with what seemed to be perennial tears along the hem- was slightly more tainted than usual. Grim streaks of red attacked the dark hue of the cloth. The blood, her blood, was prominent, leaving an everlasting reminder of the events that had transpired the night before. Along with the newer marks of blood, shaded blotches of brown could also be seen decorating various portions of the attire; most of them were inhabiting the areas where the rips were. Each tear told its own story and were all unwanted memories of her forsakened past.

Masah, the Fanalis, lay by Maika's side, snoring meekly and peacefully. Her natural pink hair was splayed out on the floor like an intricate web of spiders. Her fragile chest heaved up and down; her diaphragm synchronized with her shallow breathing. However, the wound that Masah had received earlier was discordant with her serene appearance.

Maika frowned and her eyebrows creased as she gently stroked Masah cheek with her right hand. She eyed the now tended wound with menace. Damn that bastard. Maika's unoccupied hand was clenched until it was as white as a royal Kou robe.

Her mind was a growing storm. Master Gighst's last words kept on ricocheting and echoed unbridled in her head: _How dare you not tell me about this Fanalis defect?! ... before I sell her for gold tomorrow._ Maika glance at the only 2 by 2 window on the right side of her cage. The sun was rising steadily up in the sky, displaying its superiority to the rest of the world. Ironically, this made Maika's cell more dark and gloomy. There wasn't much time left for her to think. Masah was going to be auctioned off when the sun reaches up high into the sky, and by observing the height the sun was at currently, Maika only had 13 mins at best.

Maika's left hand found its way to her purple unruly hair and began to take its grip in anguish. The tension and pressure was just too much to bear. She felt like a helpless puppy in desperate need of advice; the feeling was new to her as Maika had been independent for the past 14 years. There wasn't anything she could do for Masah. Not a thing.

Despair was slowly consuming and eating her away. In her sullen state, Maika could see hues of black winged creatures fluttering angrily as if they were mirroring her emotions. The same mantra was replaying in her head:

 _What can I, a meager slave, could do?_

 _My one chance to save someone dear to me and I've blown it._

War erupted in her head, ringing in vapid pitches. Maika's forehead grew fervent as each second past. She was in a state of hyperventilation: deep breathing, flushed cheeks, and bulging eyes. Sweat gathered on her forehead and meandered down her cheek. Nothing ever worked out for Maika. Not then, not now.

All her life, Maika has been nothing but a social reject, even to her own parents. The parents that spoke sweet nothings to Maika's more loved sister did nothing of that sort to her. All that time, Maika would just stand by the sidelines and watch her mother and father shower her sister with kisses, anxiously and patiently waiting for them to do the same to her. Needless to say, those affectionate smiles and gestures never made their way to Maika. And when her parents would acknowledge Maika's existence, spiteful comments were made conspicuously at how she had been a mistake. How they should have never conceived a second time. Her oblivious three-year-old self paid no mind to derisive comments.

When Maika turned 4, the distaste exhibited by her so-called parents became more prominent. A day would not be complete without her mother and father spatting out their favorite lines:

 _"Why couldn't you be more like your sister?_

or

 _"What in the world made me think to give birth to you?"_

or

 _"You are a disgrace to me._

And their favorite insult seemed to be: _" You are not worth the time. Just drop dead already."_

Of course, this _superb_ tactic of parenting would be questioned by her local neighbors in their compact town. The people of her wandering tribe _would_ have consoled Maika had they not despised her as well. Apparently, the norms in her tribe stated that all members of the Shelna Tribe had translucent aqua-green hair and illuminating yellow eyes. Unfortunately for Maika, having ominous purple hair and forest green eyes immediately meant she was the black sheep of the herd. Having never to see this odd "deformity", the tribe leader, Elder Shesha, did not know how to deal with this problem, so the case was dropped. It wasn't until the members of the tribe became agitated with her appearance that Elder Shesha demanded her parents to kill Maika. Being the sick and demented parents they were, they wasted no time in conspiring the most gruesome method of death fathomable. Four-year-old Maika would often see her parents during the bleak night snickering and laughing while they wore the masks of insanity.

Everybody in the tribe knew about Maika's execution except for the girl in question; she remain oblivious to her imminent demise. If her death date was set a long time ago, why is she a slave?

Well, it turns out that Elder Shesha gave her parents another option: to sell Maika into slavery. At first, her parents wanted to succumb Maika to death with their own hands to satisfy their thirst for her blood and finally rid the village of the parasite. As four years quickly go by, money became harder to attain. Though currency was not normally used in the Shelna Tribe, merchants that had unobtainable merchandise such as foreign herbs or essential medicine did not tolerate bartering. They only accepted bits of gold as payment, and since the versatility of the Shelna tribe did not cover mining, gold could not be harvested.

On the day of her departure, Maika had been eccentric. She was ever so happy that her parents would finally give her the love and attention that was absent in the first three years of her life. Merrily skipping ahead, Maika would hum and beam eagerly. Her parents seemed to share the same sentiment, albeit the reason contrasts that of Maika's like the sun and moon. Unbeknownst to the youngest of the group, they were traveling to a town located at the edge of the Partevia Empire to search for a potential consumer who was willing to pay what ever amount was asked for the Shelna girl.

 _"Mom, dad," Maika beamed," where are we going?". Her little hands waved playfully in the air. Veridian orbs shifted eagerly to their paternal figures expectantly, pulsing each second with tender love and affection._

 _The grins and smiles plastered on her parents' faces flickered briefly before resuming their go-lucky behavior._

 _"Why are you asking Maika?" her mother questioned with a feral undertone, enunciating each syllable of Maika's name. Had Maika not been an ignorant and delusional, her mother's hatred was easily detectable. By her side, the man of the family snorted, narrowing his eyes slightly, before he was roughly nudged by the woman._

 _"No reason," Maika sang out jubilantly, skipping ahead to the town in the bleak horizon._

Maika recalled that moment very clearly and the events that ensued. She remembered the smile shared between her parents as they arrived to Diuran, town aforementioned in Partevia. The transaction that had been cleverly disguised as idle talk with a middle-aged man with a cigar. That man would soon to be an unbreakable chain for the rest of Maika's life.

"Fourteen years," Maika lamented, glaring at the blade lying by her side, "fourteen solid years of enslavement. Fourteen years of heartless murders dealt through by these hands. Fourteen years of my life wasted."

"And maybe it could end at fourteen." a muted voice whispered out in darkness.

Amidst all the self-hating and loathing, Masah woke up from her serene slumber, only to realize the maternal figure in this confinement was vexed and in deep anguish. Normally, one would associate maternal with their biological mother, but since Masah's life in captivity, Maika has been more of a mother to her than a fellow cell inmate. She had protected her from Master Gighst's ambitious ways and had done many things to deter his attention from Masah.

They were really quite codependent of each other. In this rotting cell, Maika was the light at the end of a Masah's never ending nightmare; her beacon of hope who shines brightly, yet the person in question never seemed to understand her overpowering influence on Masah's life. The guardian angel her biological mother used to tell her about. Though she is without wings, Maika is truly a savior.

Alarmed by her sudden awakening, the purple-haired girl flinched slightly and whisked her head towards the drowsy Fanalis, her features softening.

To Maika, Masah was the little sister she never had. She felt the constant desire to protect and shield her from harms way ever since day one. In a very odd way, Masah reminded her of herself as a little girl. Maika did not want to let Masah go through the same pain of solitude and abandonment she had felt as a young child in chains. She wanted to become the sisterly figure to Masah that Maika personally never had.

 _That's right,_ Maika contemplated retrospectively, _I'm suppose to take care of her. This predicament is just a hurdle. I had protected Masah for the past 4 years; that streak of protection doesn't need to end today_.

"You're right, it can end at fourteen years. No. It _will_ end at fourteen." Maika responded with a slight optimistic undertone. Her right hand sought out after the Fanalis's pink hair strands and curled it around her index finger.

A brief moment of silence was shared between the two. Just five more minutes until Masah's auctioning.

"Masah," Maika began lifting her self with her left hand as she held out her right hand for Masah,"Let's go."

The Fanalis took her hand and used it as a leverage to pull herself up. She flinched from the small pain that surged through the wound made by the whip. The bleeding had stopped and was already beginning to clot up, but the ache was still there. The last of Maika's looted medicine supply was enough for only one person, and it did wonders on the stinging wound. But because it was given to the younger of the two, Maika's wounds was still open; the bleeding had stopped but it didn't fully heal yet.

The older of the two grabbed the two brown cloth on the ground and made a makeshift carrier with one of them and the other into an identical cloak to the one she wore yesterday. The two daggers she always used was fastened to her waist. With her right hand, Maika gestured Masah to crawl into the carrier she made. Without hesitation, Masah softly climbed into the pouch, cocooning her perfectly in the fashion emulating that of a metamorphic caterpillar. The cocoon was then harnessed onto Maika's neck, secured tightly by a knot.

She then trotted to the dimmest corner of the cell and removed some rotting planks from the wall. She fastened the cloak around her neck and pulled down the hood. Two minutes remaining.

Maika crawled through the tight space and continued until she reached the end.

"Where are we going?" Masah question, hugging Maika's neck loosely.

"We are going to the land of a new tomorrow, one that does not need these chains," Maika responded, as she approached the other end of the hole.

A symphonic upbeat rhythm followed her trail and white light danced in the her treks of the past.

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The man led the groups through the maze that was the alley with striking accuracy, turning at every crossroad. As the trek progressed, more trash scaled the edges of the narrow road. Kouen and his household members were finally led to what seemed to be the epicenter of all the mess.

In the dead center of the the empty lot was a worn down wagon of sort and on it was a gigantic housing that mirrored the atmosphere of the slums. The dark exterior radiated a foul smell that resembled that of a decomposed corpse. Most of the wood composition were years old and were threatening to fall off. The wagon just screamed murder.

"You are no longer needed," Kouen bluntly told the man who had led them there.

Seeing this as his chance to escape, the man squeaked and scrambled off, running away so fast that dust collected by his tracks.

"So you think this is the place where that mysterious women is?" Seishuu Ri pondered to no one in particular. The snakes attached to his hair follicles wiggled a little as he spoke.

Kin Gaku stood at his right flared his snout," Of course it is! If not, that man will pay dearly with his life." A gleam if blood lust glittered in his eyes," but since our highness let him go, the information must have been accurate."

Without a word, Kouen walked towards the peculiar vehicle, right hand resting on the hilt of his blade preparing for any ambushes. As he carefully neared his target, Kouen noticed two things: the craftsmanship of the wagon was foreign to Kou's architecture, that and a slightly chubby man was standing rather impatiently, mumbling something to himself. From afar, Kouen was able to pick up something about a Fanalis and monetary value.

"Ugh, where is she," Master Gighst snarled, tapping his left foot rapidly. His eyebrows were creased and his frown was a slope as he glared at the wagon with pure annoyance. The jewelry adorned all over his body jingled as he snarled, blue and red light flashing. He has yet to notice his unexpected visitors.

It wasn't until Kouen reached a certain proximity where he was three feet away from the rambling man before Master Gighst finally acknowledged his presence. Realizing there was a third party near his _residence_ , Master Gighst angrily whisked around, opening his dry mouth to tell the intruder to fuck off, but shrank when he realized who he was talking to. Instantaneously, Master Gighst trembled fiercely under the intense aura and gaze from the First Imperial Prince. Like the receding waves, Master Gighst immediately dropped to his knees and bowed.

"Your Imperial Highness, what brings you to this part of the great and powerful Kou empire?" Master Gighst humbly pondered, head still kissing the earth.

Kouen glanced at the wagon once before curtly demanding," Are you the wandering assassin group?"

Master Gighst visibly gulped before replying, "No-o, your Highness. I do not know what rumors have reached your ears, but I assure you that no one in that crummy wagon is capable of something as atrocious as funded murder."

Kouen's stoic demeanor darkened as he proceeded to grasp the collar of the pudgy man, holding him firmly to the point of asphyxiation. Gighst flailed his arms feebly in the air as if he was fighting an invisible enemy in a meaningless combat. The hues of his face drained of its brown color and slowly turned into a pallid shade of blue. The whites of his eyes almost took over his pupils, threatening to pop out of its sockets. Broken gasps was all that could be heard as Gighst was suspended in the air.

"Tell me the truth or the next words you speak will be your last," Kouen threatened without hesitation, pulling out his sword for emphasis, "and your death will be very torturous and painful."

Master Gighst was resilient but the pressure exerted by the First Imperial Prince made him crack. He opened his mouth and let out some choked words. But before a clear sentence could be formed, a loud commotion erupted from the trailer behind them. Smoke engulfed the right side of the wagon. A cloaked figure shot out from the gathering cloud and nimbly ran towards the road ahead of her or him. Another figure emerged from the dirt cloud coughing and wheezing while yelling obscenities; he resembled Gighst in terms of their outfit.

"Master Gighst, that bitch Maika escaped with that Fanalis!" the newcomer screamed, unaware of his master's royal guest. " That fucking green-eyed women just doesn't know her place. I knew we should have chained her down like the-"

The approaching man stopped abruptly, shocked and intimated by Kouen and his household members. His black orbs dilated, and he stepped back, tripping himself in the process. Sweat collected at the base of his forehead profusely and dripped down the side of his face like rain drops.

"The..wagon i-s... the vehicle...for my assassin group," Gighst wheezed out, face now fully turning blue.

Satisfied with his answer, Kouen released his vice grip on his neck, causing Gighst to plummet to the ground breathing deeply for air. Gighst coughed and attempted to stand up, only to fall back down.

The wheezing man was given a second to catch his breath before Kouen bluntly responded, "I'm taking this Maika slave for my own." His sword was slowly withdrawn from its sheathe.

Unaware of his situation, Gighst immediately became infuriated. Gighst roared,"YOU WILL NOT HAVE HER! SHE IS MY MOST VALUABLE SLAVE. MY CUTE, LITTLE MURDER-," Before he could finish, he was impaled by Kouen's blade. Red blood ran down the side of the sharp weapon. When the sword was pulled out, crimson fluid bursted from the opened wound. Gighst dropped to his knees and dropped down, lifeless. From the sidelines, Seishuu Ri whistled approvingly.

The other man screamed, scrambling to run away. But before he could , he was held in a vice grip by Kokuton Shuu.

"Who was the client who asked your group to assassinate me," Kouen demanded, looking at the quivering man straight in the eyes. If looks could kill then the man would have been dead by now.

" It was the noble named Hang Tu," he quickly responded, chocking a little from the grip around his neck.

"Let him go, Kokuton Shuu," Kouen ordered, walking to the horse that had been brought along for the purpose of the chase. "he is not needed anymore."

Complying to the orders of his master, Kokuton Shuu released his grip and walked to the prince. The man was left a trembling mess. His eyes was nailed shut and his mouth was wide open. His previously cocky attitude had left him completely. Now he was just a frightened little child disguised as an adult.

" Arrest Hang Tu under the charge of treason by the orders of the First Imperial Prince! I want him confined until I get back!" Kouen's ricocheting voice roared, pointing to the group of soldiers he brought.

"As you wish, your Imperial Highness!" the army of soldiers saluted, bowing before hurrying away back to the road they came from.

Once the soldiers left, Kouen lifted himself and secured himself on the horse. His household members followed in his suit, bringing the remaining horses that had been prepared and got on. Kouen grabbed the reins and kicked his trained stallion into action. The horse reared, neighing loud and proudly, before dashing around the wagon and curved into the path where the viridian-eyed assassin escaped to. Behind him, his four loyal household members followed.

Kouen smirked as the scenes changed from the demented shadow of the slums to the lively Kou streets that were more bright and crowded.

The chase was on.

 **Authors Note: Sorry for not posting for two months( though I don't think much people would care because my story is not that popular). Procrastination got to me. I'm not a very experienced writer, but I try to revise my works to the best of my abilities. Reviews are very much appreciated. I will also work on Maika's character sketch for those of you who are curiously, which probably is not a very large amount of people. Thank you, for taking the time to read my first fanfiction.**

 **Disclaimer: Magi belongs to Ohtaka Shinobu.**

 **Maika and Masah belongs to me.**


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